We’re Listening: One Year into the Rutgers School of Medicine Integration

July 15, 2024

Dear RWJMS and NJMS Community,

Over the last year, we have been proud to see our medical school communities – Robert Wood Johnson Medical School (RWJMS) and New Jersey Medical School (NJMS) – come together as we plan the merger for the new Rutgers School of Medicine.

The new medical school, when complete, will amplify Rutgers’ role as a leader in 21st-Century medical education and will be one of the largest and leading medical schools in the nation. By coming together under one umbrella, we are elevating the Rutgers School of Medicine and positioning us to continue to recruit the best and the brightest. 

At the Council of Deans earlier this year, which brings together all the medical school deans from across the nation, we heard a lot of excitement about the merger from so many other medical school leaders. We also heard that the Rutgers brand is very strong, and by coming together, we will help boost philanthropy and fundraising. 

The future of the Rutgers School of Medicine is in Newark and New Brunswick. We are fully committed to our vision of comparable campuses with local leadership to support the work. We are also investing hundreds of millions of dollars into both campuses to help educate our future leaders of medicine. 

We are excited about the future, and that is why over the last year we have talked with and – more importantly – listened to RWJMS and NJMS students, faculty, staff, and other community leaders about the positive impact the integration will have on all of the communities we serve. 

That’s why during the last year, we have been on a listening tour, engaged more than hundreds of faculty, staff and learners combined, taking part in Integration Committees and Task Forces, and holding more than 50 internal events. We have also worked to keep the community informed throughout this process by hosting 6 town halls, more than 50 internal events including one-on-one chats, while providing more than 50 email and 30 website updates. Our website received more than 6,000 views with more than 3,000 visitors over the last year. Learn more about our outreach efforts below.

It has been incredibly important for us to hear directly from the stakeholders, which is why we formed several committees to inform our process, making sure that both schools were represented. We also formed task forces and accepted everyone who signed up to volunteer their time to make sure as many voices as possible were being heard throughout this process. 

As we look to the year ahead, we want to continue our outreach efforts and look for new meaningful ways to engage and listen. If you have suggestions about ways that we can engage with you and your community, please do not hesitate to contact us. And if you are interested in learning how you can support the new Rutgers School of Medicine, click here.

Thank you for being so engaged in this important process. We appreciate all of the guidance and feedback we’ve received over the last year, and we are confident that by working together, we will create an even stronger Rutgers School of Medicine.

Sincerely,

Amy P. Murtha, MD
Dean, Robert Wood Johnson Medical School

Robert L. Johnson, MD, FAAP
Dean, New Jersey Medical School

By the Numbers: Rutgers School of Medicine Integration Outreach Efforts Over the Last Year

• 6,000+ website views with 3,000+ visitors
• Hundreds of faculty, staff and learners combined taking part in Integration Committees and Task Forces
• Multiple external events, including visits by both deans with church groups, community organizations, hospital leadership from University Hospital and Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital, University Hospital Oversight Board meetings, and community leaders.
• 50+ Advisory Committee members across 5 Advisory Committees
• 50+ internal events, including:
  • More than two dozen chats with Deans offered monthly to faculty, staff and students
  • Dozens of Department Meetings
  • 12 faculty meetings
  • 6 Town Halls
• 50+ email updates to RWJMS and NJMS communities
• 40+ media stories. Recent highlights include: 
  • The Deans joined Mayor Baraka on his weekly Facebook Live. Watch here.
  • The Deans were interviewed by WBGO/NJ Spotlight about the merger.
  • The Deans tackled the tough questions about the Rutgers School of Medicine. Read their OpEd on NJ.com.
• 30+ website updates, including messages with key updates and FAQs